What do you think?
Rate this book
Franny K. Stein, Mad Scientist #1
Lunch Walks Among Us
Franny K. Stein is not your average girl -- she's a mad scientist. She prefers poison ivy to daisies, and when Franny jumps rope, she uses her pet snake. The kids in Franny's class think she's weird, wacky, and just plain creepy.
Tired of being stared at, Franny decides to attempt her most dangerous experiment yet -- she's going to fit in. but when a giant Monstrous Fiend attacks the class, everyone knows it's up to a mad scientist to save the day. But has Franny lost her creepy, crawly ways?
Tired of being stared at, Franny decides to attempt her most dangerous experiment yet -- she's going to fit in. but when a giant Monstrous Fiend attacks the class, everyone knows it's up to a mad scientist to save the day. But has Franny lost her creepy, crawly ways?
102 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2003
99 people are currently reading
2721 people want to read
About the author
Jim Benton
284 books609 followersBenton began his career in a custom design t-shirt shop where he started designing his own characters. At the same time, Jim did illustrations and artwork for magazines and newspapers. People magazine named him "the most visible cartoonist in America" .
Benton also created greeting cards and worked in the magazine and publishing industry. In 1998, his SpyDogs characters became an animated series, The Secret Files of the Spy Dogs, that aired on Fox Kids. Licensing his own creations brought them widespread attention on products, such as It's Happy Bunny, The Misters, Just Jimmy and more.
Benton currently lives in Michigan, where he operates out of his own studio.
Benton also created greeting cards and worked in the magazine and publishing industry. In 1998, his SpyDogs characters became an animated series, The Secret Files of the Spy Dogs, that aired on Fox Kids. Licensing his own creations brought them widespread attention on products, such as It's Happy Bunny, The Misters, Just Jimmy and more.
Benton currently lives in Michigan, where he operates out of his own studio.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 379 reviews
November 9, 2011
Brontë, my lovely seven year old, is a kooky girl.
From the time she was wee, she's been a talented artist, and her greatest influence, then and now, was Tim Burton. One of her greatest pictures, "The Dark Queen" will someday be a tattoo on my left thigh.
But that's not all ,,, Brontë loves Zombies (they scare the shit out of her, btu she loves them. in fact, putting on The Walking Dead, no matter when I put it on, is the flame that draws my little moth into the room. She can be asleep, and she'll still turn up. But she suffers for it later, even the tiny bit she catches -- as do I). Brontë loves anything that has to do with Frankenstein. Her favourite role in Hamlet (a role she is currently playing as we perform Stoppard's 15 Minute Hamlet) is Hamlet's Ghost. If it's supernatural, Brontë loves it with the same intensity she fears it, and she pursues it with passion.
Most of the little girls she knows look at her askance. They don't get her. Sometimes it makes her sad, but other times it makes her proud. I hope that the latter will always weigh heavier in her estimation, and I think that Jim Benton's Franny K. Stein books may tip the scales in that direction.
Franny, like her namesake, is a mad scientist. She makes lunch meat monsters, transformation potions, analyzes everythimg critically, rejects PB&J and Barbies, yet wants very badly to have friends, so badly that she tries to change her ways to achieve their love. In the end, in kid book style, she learns that being herself is enough, and that she can have friends, truer friends, by being true to herself. I don't know that I buy it, at least not entirely, but I see it impacting the way Brontë sees herself, and that impact is positive.
So that's good enough for me. Smart girls, quirky girls, strong girls rule! And kooky girls rule most of all. You do rule, Të. Maybe tonight we can make another cayenne pepper infused potion. As usual, I will be your test subject. I promise.
From the time she was wee, she's been a talented artist, and her greatest influence, then and now, was Tim Burton. One of her greatest pictures, "The Dark Queen" will someday be a tattoo on my left thigh.
But that's not all ,,, Brontë loves Zombies (they scare the shit out of her, btu she loves them. in fact, putting on The Walking Dead, no matter when I put it on, is the flame that draws my little moth into the room. She can be asleep, and she'll still turn up. But she suffers for it later, even the tiny bit she catches -- as do I). Brontë loves anything that has to do with Frankenstein. Her favourite role in Hamlet (a role she is currently playing as we perform Stoppard's 15 Minute Hamlet) is Hamlet's Ghost. If it's supernatural, Brontë loves it with the same intensity she fears it, and she pursues it with passion.
Most of the little girls she knows look at her askance. They don't get her. Sometimes it makes her sad, but other times it makes her proud. I hope that the latter will always weigh heavier in her estimation, and I think that Jim Benton's Franny K. Stein books may tip the scales in that direction.
Franny, like her namesake, is a mad scientist. She makes lunch meat monsters, transformation potions, analyzes everythimg critically, rejects PB&J and Barbies, yet wants very badly to have friends, so badly that she tries to change her ways to achieve their love. In the end, in kid book style, she learns that being herself is enough, and that she can have friends, truer friends, by being true to herself. I don't know that I buy it, at least not entirely, but I see it impacting the way Brontë sees herself, and that impact is positive.
So that's good enough for me. Smart girls, quirky girls, strong girls rule! And kooky girls rule most of all. You do rule, Të. Maybe tonight we can make another cayenne pepper infused potion. As usual, I will be your test subject. I promise.
November 6, 2011
Papa: So you finished your first chapter book my lovely seven year old reading star. What did you think?
Brontë: I loved it. I think that goes without saying.
Papa: I guess we should stop then.
Brontë: Okay.
Papa: Seriously? You have nothing to say?
Brontë: Yes, I do.
Papa: Serve it up, then ...
Brontë: Well, I really just liked how she made a monster out of lunch meat. And she sewed him up in one day, it's crazy. He's huge. And Mom made a Dobby doll for me and it took her two months, so I don't know how Franny did it but it was cool.
Papa: You can do all sorts of cool things when you're a character in a book.
Brontë: Yeah, there's this one part where I was able to cut some pages and make my own monster out of them. There's heads and different parts of bodies and you can switch them around and see what they do.
Papa: That's pretty cool. What's it called?
Brontë: Recipe. That's what it is.
Papa: So it's like Franny was cooking up monsters.
Brontë: Yep. I liked that part. But I also liked when she thought about stuff, like in the ball game when they asked if she wanted to play baseball, but when she went and got her bat, but it was a real bat and not a baseball bat, but then she was like, "Oh, this is an actual bat, not a baseball bat." So she made notes because she's used to things being scary stuff, but now that she's at a diefferent school she doesn't know what that is and doesn't know what that is and doesn't know what that is, so I liked that.
Papa: Anything else you want to share?
Brontë: Ummm ... yep ... two things: I love how when they were making paper things she made a skeleton out of paper; and I love how when the girls and boys were doing skip rope, she was skipping with her snake; and I love how when her teacher was talking to her we could see the potion she was making in her head.
Papa: So there were drawings?
Brontë: Yep.
Papa: Did you like the drawings?
Brontë: I loved them. They were awesome. I liked her breakfast too. It was a steak and a donut. That was funny. And when they played hide and seek she dug herself into a hole in the ground and everyone was like, "Hmmm ... where is she?" So that part was fun.
Papa: So there were tons of things you liked?
Brontë: Yeah.
Papa: Did the Lunch-Meat Monster live?
Brontë: Yeah, he did.
Papa: So you liked the book?
Brontë: I loved it.
Papa: What are you reading next?
Brontë: Attack of the 50 Foot Cupid. I'm just going to read them all in order until I am finished, then I am going to read the Nancy Drew book you gave me today.
Papa: Well ... great job, Të!
Brontë: Thanks.
Brontë: I loved it. I think that goes without saying.
Papa: I guess we should stop then.
Brontë: Okay.
Papa: Seriously? You have nothing to say?
Brontë: Yes, I do.
Papa: Serve it up, then ...
Brontë: Well, I really just liked how she made a monster out of lunch meat. And she sewed him up in one day, it's crazy. He's huge. And Mom made a Dobby doll for me and it took her two months, so I don't know how Franny did it but it was cool.
Papa: You can do all sorts of cool things when you're a character in a book.
Brontë: Yeah, there's this one part where I was able to cut some pages and make my own monster out of them. There's heads and different parts of bodies and you can switch them around and see what they do.
Papa: That's pretty cool. What's it called?
Brontë: Recipe. That's what it is.
Papa: So it's like Franny was cooking up monsters.
Brontë: Yep. I liked that part. But I also liked when she thought about stuff, like in the ball game when they asked if she wanted to play baseball, but when she went and got her bat, but it was a real bat and not a baseball bat, but then she was like, "Oh, this is an actual bat, not a baseball bat." So she made notes because she's used to things being scary stuff, but now that she's at a diefferent school she doesn't know what that is and doesn't know what that is and doesn't know what that is, so I liked that.
Papa: Anything else you want to share?
Brontë: Ummm ... yep ... two things: I love how when they were making paper things she made a skeleton out of paper; and I love how when the girls and boys were doing skip rope, she was skipping with her snake; and I love how when her teacher was talking to her we could see the potion she was making in her head.
Papa: So there were drawings?
Brontë: Yep.
Papa: Did you like the drawings?
Brontë: I loved them. They were awesome. I liked her breakfast too. It was a steak and a donut. That was funny. And when they played hide and seek she dug herself into a hole in the ground and everyone was like, "Hmmm ... where is she?" So that part was fun.
Papa: So there were tons of things you liked?
Brontë: Yeah.
Papa: Did the Lunch-Meat Monster live?
Brontë: Yeah, he did.
Papa: So you liked the book?
Brontë: I loved it.
Papa: What are you reading next?
Brontë: Attack of the 50 Foot Cupid. I'm just going to read them all in order until I am finished, then I am going to read the Nancy Drew book you gave me today.
Papa: Well ... great job, Të!
Brontë: Thanks.
April 17, 2017
This is Franny. Starting out at a new school is hard for anyone, but especially hard for a little girl mad scientist.
Her new classmates aren't quite sure how to take her. She's a mad scientist who spends all her time inventing machines and creating creatures. She doesn't eat boring white bread sandwiches at lunch, she brings her own homemade crab ravioli in pumpkin sauce. But she does want to make friends, so in true Franny fashion, she makes an experiment out of trying to be like the other kids in her class. She transforms into a "normal" girl. But when a monster erupts out of the trashcan, who else can save the day but a little girl mad scientist?
This series is by leaps and bounds one of my favorites. It checks off so many boxes and does them all beautifully:
A main character who loves to learn and to read books
A female character who loves science and inventing and all things gruesome and disgusting
Writing that is so clever and doesn't talk down to young readers while still managing to be engaging
Characters and stories that teach lessons while still being hilarious
Juvenile humor that includes jokes about butts and peeing your pants, but that's so clever even adults will find it funny (unless you're someone who thinks fart jokes are always inappropriate, in which case these books aren't for you)
Humor that doesn't depend on bratty kids and dumb adults
And most importantly, a main character who manages to stand strong in her own weird interests that no one else can relate to while simultaneously learning to cooperate and thrive with those around her
This series is perfect for reluctant readers. All the books are well written with a great vocabulary but they're also short and include a ton of illustrations so they're not intimidating. And they're genuinely hilarious. And they'll appeal to both boys and girls. And on and on. I'm so glad I found this series.
TpT Store | Pinterest
Her new classmates aren't quite sure how to take her. She's a mad scientist who spends all her time inventing machines and creating creatures. She doesn't eat boring white bread sandwiches at lunch, she brings her own homemade crab ravioli in pumpkin sauce. But she does want to make friends, so in true Franny fashion, she makes an experiment out of trying to be like the other kids in her class. She transforms into a "normal" girl. But when a monster erupts out of the trashcan, who else can save the day but a little girl mad scientist?
This series is by leaps and bounds one of my favorites. It checks off so many boxes and does them all beautifully:
A main character who loves to learn and to read books A female character who loves science and inventing and all things gruesome and disgusting Writing that is so clever and doesn't talk down to young readers while still managing to be engaging Characters and stories that teach lessons while still being hilarious Juvenile humor that includes jokes about butts and peeing your pants, but that's so clever even adults will find it funny (unless you're someone who thinks fart jokes are always inappropriate, in which case these books aren't for you) Humor that doesn't depend on bratty kids and dumb adults And most importantly, a main character who manages to stand strong in her own weird interests that no one else can relate to while simultaneously learning to cooperate and thrive with those around herThis series is perfect for reluctant readers. All the books are well written with a great vocabulary but they're also short and include a ton of illustrations so they're not intimidating. And they're genuinely hilarious. And they'll appeal to both boys and girls. And on and on. I'm so glad I found this series.
TpT Store | Pinterest
November 30, 2010
What a fun discovery! Franny K. Stein is a little different from many of the girls around her who like pretty Barbie dolls and pink frilly things and PB&J sandwiches on fluffy white bread. She's a "mad" scientist who likes tarantulas and bats (the flying kind), dolls that ooze yucky gunk, and doing explosive science experiments. Mr. Benton's young female protagonist is a quirky, intelligent problem-solver who learns to be comfortable in her own skin, but also learns that friends can help each other broaden horizons and appreciate differences.
The illustrations on every page are fabulous and capture the character and humor of the story. Little details tie the illustrations together and emphasize the moral of the story in such a fun way the reader isn't even consciously aware of being "taught."
I don't have any daughters, but my eight-year-old son devoured this book in one sitting. We're both looking forward to reading the rest of the series!
For more book reviews, come visit my blog, Build Enough Bookshelves.
The illustrations on every page are fabulous and capture the character and humor of the story. Little details tie the illustrations together and emphasize the moral of the story in such a fun way the reader isn't even consciously aware of being "taught."
I don't have any daughters, but my eight-year-old son devoured this book in one sitting. We're both looking forward to reading the rest of the series!
For more book reviews, come visit my blog, Build Enough Bookshelves.
September 13, 2013
This is the first book in the Franny K. Stein series by Jim Benton. We first discovered this series when we listened to Frantastic Voyage on audio CD. We all thought it was a humorous tale, so we decided to read some of the other books in the series.
This story introduces us to Franny and her strange mad scientist ways. I like that Franny feels compelled to fit in, but ends up discovering that it's best to just be herself.
I love the fact that Franny is a spunky, smart scientist and I thought it was great how she solved her problems. The story was very engaging and we enjoyed reading it together. I am sure that we'll look for more of these books at our local library.
This story introduces us to Franny and her strange mad scientist ways. I like that Franny feels compelled to fit in, but ends up discovering that it's best to just be herself.
I love the fact that Franny is a spunky, smart scientist and I thought it was great how she solved her problems. The story was very engaging and we enjoyed reading it together. I am sure that we'll look for more of these books at our local library.
February 9, 2012
My daughter and I read this together. She's 9 and has a bit of "Mad Scientist" in her as well. She and I love Franny and all her adventures. In this introductory story, which we somehow skipped, Franny moves to a new town and starts a new school. She is, of course, different from everyone else and decides that she needs to make a few changes to be liked after gathering data and creating data charts (she's mad, not dumb after all). Of course, her new teacher Miss Shelley (Mary Shelley wrote Frankenstein...get it? My daughter rolled her eyes at me when I told her.), thinks she is just fine the way she is. Franny makes the transformation to a "normal" kid using her data and a potion but when something goes awry at her school, she must once again become her true self to save the day. Great book about self-esteem and being who you are! Benton's humor keeps me entertained and the pencil drawings help my daughter keep pace with all the "science."
July 1, 2008
Michigan native, Jim Benton, taps into the strange and exciting world of Franny K. Stein - my new favorite caricature! Franny is not your average girl and kicks a bit of spunk into everything she does. Instead of having a cute kitten for a pet, Franny has bats. While her neighbors play video games, Franny is up in her room doing wild science experiments. And while children eat their wonder bread P&Js at the lunch table, Franny prefers shish-kebabs and ravioli in pumpkin sauce. She fears not in a world that encourages conformity.
It takes a while for her peers to come around, but they soon realize that there is more to Franny than what meets the eye.
It takes a while for her peers to come around, but they soon realize that there is more to Franny than what meets the eye.
December 7, 2015
This was so super cute! Quirky kid who tries to find a way to fit in, despite her mad scientist hobby and frightening personality! :)
4.5 stars!
4.5 stars!
March 20, 2022
i swear this was my emo awakening
April 21, 2019
Franny tries to make friends at school, but the other kids just seem scared of her. Eager to make friends, Franny makes observations (like any good scientist) and comes up with a formula to make herself more likable. While the formula works, it just doesn't feel like her. And when yesterday's lunch (plus some unstable industrial waste) decides to start taking over the school, Franny realizes it is better to just be herself. So she snaps into mad scientist mode, puts the rest of the class to work requisitioning lunch meet and bread, and proceeds to save the day.
Franny is just about as misfittish as they come. She's not for the squeamish of heart for sure. Sewing a pile of lunchmeat into a monster could just turn off some potential readers and her Oozette doll...**shudders**. But she does turn out to be a well-meaning and friendly mad scientist, so it's all ok.
Added after 2nd reading: I really like the lesson she learns about how people like her for being herself and not being a fake version trying to please others. It is a great message for potential people pleasers. Hand this one to kids who feel like kids might not like them for being the real them, kids looking for humorous reads, and those ready to be introduced to some scifi with mad scientist touches.
Notes on content: No language issues. No sexual content. There's some bathroom humor (kid who wets his pants repeatedly) and of course the gross out factors.
Franny is just about as misfittish as they come. She's not for the squeamish of heart for sure. Sewing a pile of lunchmeat into a monster could just turn off some potential readers and her Oozette doll...**shudders**. But she does turn out to be a well-meaning and friendly mad scientist, so it's all ok.
Added after 2nd reading: I really like the lesson she learns about how people like her for being herself and not being a fake version trying to please others. It is a great message for potential people pleasers. Hand this one to kids who feel like kids might not like them for being the real them, kids looking for humorous reads, and those ready to be introduced to some scifi with mad scientist touches.
Notes on content: No language issues. No sexual content. There's some bathroom humor (kid who wets his pants repeatedly) and of course the gross out factors.
April 8, 2014
The Franny K. Stein series is a hilarious group of books about a young mad scientist named Franny. Franny does not fit in at school. Many of her peers make fun of her and think she is very weird. Franny is soon tired of being different so she decides to do one of her biggest experiments ever; fitting in. Franny begins to change many things about herself to make herself seem normal. The series follows the many adventures of Franny and her different experiments that cause chaos throughout her school.
Students grades 1-4 will greatly enjoy this series. This series is great for an independent reading workshop, such as DEAR, or buddy reading in class. Students will enjoy reading this together and discussing it with each other while reading. This would also be a good series to use for a book club in the class because students will stay engaged throughout the book and have fun discussing it together. This book is also good for reading remediation for those who need it. It is written around a 2nd grade level so it would be a good fit for those in grades 3-5 reading slightly below grade level. This reading remediation can be done with the teacher or with a partner to help them read words they do not know and use comprehension strategies to work on fluency.
Students grades 1-4 will greatly enjoy this series. This series is great for an independent reading workshop, such as DEAR, or buddy reading in class. Students will enjoy reading this together and discussing it with each other while reading. This would also be a good series to use for a book club in the class because students will stay engaged throughout the book and have fun discussing it together. This book is also good for reading remediation for those who need it. It is written around a 2nd grade level so it would be a good fit for those in grades 3-5 reading slightly below grade level. This reading remediation can be done with the teacher or with a partner to help them read words they do not know and use comprehension strategies to work on fluency.
December 5, 2015
Franny is a little girl mad scientist whose interest in all things spooky and creepy: tarantulas, bats and dolls that chomp and ooze slimy stuff (Chompolina and Oozette), makes her classmates fear her and leaves her friendless. She decides to run the greatest scientific experiment of all--to transform herself into a normal little girl. Her experiment is a success, and she learns that her classmates, though normal, are nice. But when a monstrous fiend comes alive at school Franny has to revert to her real self to create a Lunch Meat Creature to vanquish the fiend! Franny learns that being herself is best, and her friends come to appreciate and like her just the way she is. Silly jokes, and zany, plentiful illustrations will make this series appealing to new readers who enjoy books like Captain Underpants. Franny is a strong female protagonist with an interest in science and a mind of her own--a refreshing role model for girls just starting to read chapter books.
December 18, 2021
2005 December 30
2009 January 12
The PandaBat got the boxed set of Franny K. Stein books for Christmas. He's not quite able to read them on his own, but he's certainly enjoying having them read aloud.
As am I.
How much do we love Franny K. Stein? Mad science, a "lab" assistant, bats in her attic room in the otherwise pristine and pastel house? Oh, very much indeed. Although I hadn't realized it before, we love stories about a kid who doesn't feel right in the family, but that the family loves and indulges anyway.
***
2013 April 13
It's been a while since I've read any Franny, but she holds up quite well. Just the thing to read aloud to a kid who's feeling cranky and illish.
***
2009 January 12
The PandaBat got the boxed set of Franny K. Stein books for Christmas. He's not quite able to read them on his own, but he's certainly enjoying having them read aloud.
As am I.
How much do we love Franny K. Stein? Mad science, a "lab" assistant, bats in her attic room in the otherwise pristine and pastel house? Oh, very much indeed. Although I hadn't realized it before, we love stories about a kid who doesn't feel right in the family, but that the family loves and indulges anyway.
***
2013 April 13
It's been a while since I've read any Franny, but she holds up quite well. Just the thing to read aloud to a kid who's feeling cranky and illish.
***
March 7, 2019
The book name lunch among us is by JIM BENTON is talk about a girl name Franney is a mad scientist.
At the beginning of the story, she is a weird girl, and her face is always show vicious,and her classmates is stay away from other , she sometime will have some crazy experience.
At the middle of the story, she suddenly change a character, and show us is a cute little kid, so, all the student can play with her.
At the last of the story, there is a monsters occur in school, and she use her crazy experience to kill the monsters , and all people are really happy and play her crazy toy
At the beginning of the story, she is a weird girl, and her face is always show vicious,and her classmates is stay away from other , she sometime will have some crazy experience.
At the middle of the story, she suddenly change a character, and show us is a cute little kid, so, all the student can play with her.
At the last of the story, there is a monsters occur in school, and she use her crazy experience to kill the monsters , and all people are really happy and play her crazy toy
October 1, 2012
franny k. stein does not fit in with her classmates, which is what you'd expect when you are a seven year old mad scientist. but when her best efforts to transform herself into a "normal" girl don't pan out, she discovers that it's best to be herself.
cute and quick. initially i was weirded out by how dark franny was, but it ended up being harmless. and any book that promotes kids to be always be themselves is just fine by me.
cute and quick. initially i was weirded out by how dark franny was, but it ended up being harmless. and any book that promotes kids to be always be themselves is just fine by me.
January 22, 2016
Un libro que definitivamente los niños, en especial niñas, deben leer.
Leí este libro con mi hermana y ¡le encantó! La historia de Franny es increíble, una niña fuera del mundo de Barbie, princesas, damiselas en peligro. ¡Franny es un personaje fuerte y único! Una niña a la que le gustan las tarántulas, muriélagos y disfruta tanto de la ciencia como un científico loco.
Definitivamente un "must" para los más pequeños de la casa.
Leí este libro con mi hermana y ¡le encantó! La historia de Franny es increíble, una niña fuera del mundo de Barbie, princesas, damiselas en peligro. ¡Franny es un personaje fuerte y único! Una niña a la que le gustan las tarántulas, muriélagos y disfruta tanto de la ciencia como un científico loco.
Definitivamente un "must" para los más pequeños de la casa.
March 21, 2014
Franny is a VERY VERY mad scientist. Shes new at school and not a lot of the kids like her because she has bats all over her. so she makes her dolls and herself nice by doing a experiment. She comes back the next day
and the kids like her. but there is a monster that takes her teacher on the flag pole!
OH NO! What will happen next? Read to find out.
and the kids like her. but there is a monster that takes her teacher on the flag pole!
OH NO! What will happen next? Read to find out.
September 18, 2014
I think this book was very good. There were many details, like how it described the characters and the settings. I love how it showed pictures to show us how the characters looked and what they did. Overall i think this book was fun and the story was cool.
November 18, 2017
I really like the book because franny is different than everybody els because she has different lunch,looks different,has a snake as a jumprope and she evan made a barbie doll that has really sharp
teeth and it bites other barbie dolls heads off and that is very interesting to me
teeth and it bites other barbie dolls heads off and that is very interesting to me
November 28, 2017
About the time Franny started stitching together sandwich meat to fight off some sort of creature born in the classroom trashcan, I decided that she's a modern day Laura Ingalls Wilder. My new favorite protagonist.
December 4, 2010
I love finding chapter books for 1st to 3rd graders. Franny K. Stein is a great character. She is just a bit different which is wonderful. I have a lot of girls who will love this series.
April 13, 2017
I REMEMBER THESE
April 25, 2019
Un libro muy divertido, genial para chicos que gustan de la mezcla de horror y humor.
Reseña completa:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_M_m...
Reseña completa:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_M_m...
September 2, 2019
Franny K. Stein isn't your ordinary little girl. Her room is decorated with bats and beakers, instead of sandwiches, she prefers kebabs and crab ravioli, and she prefers playing with severed body parts to dolls and sports equipment. But as Franny starts school, she quickly notices that the other children seem uncomfortable around her. When her teacher challenges her to turn making friends into a scientific experiment, Franny is up for the challenge. Until the moment her classmates turn a leftover lunch into a giant pumpkin-headed monster, and Franny will need her very own special talents to save the day.
Known for his Dear Dumb Diary books, Jim Benton introduces a brand-new heroine for kids who aren't sure they'll ever fit in. Lunch Walks Among Us was not precisely what this reader expected, but will definitely be a crowd-pleaser. Combining humorous misunderstandings with Goosebumps-esque horror and a decent eww-factor, this story will suit kids looking for something a little funny and creepy without a full-fledged scream factor.
Known for his Dear Dumb Diary books, Jim Benton introduces a brand-new heroine for kids who aren't sure they'll ever fit in. Lunch Walks Among Us was not precisely what this reader expected, but will definitely be a crowd-pleaser. Combining humorous misunderstandings with Goosebumps-esque horror and a decent eww-factor, this story will suit kids looking for something a little funny and creepy without a full-fledged scream factor.
December 3, 2020
Such a cute series. My daughter absolutely loves franny and wants to be a scientist when she grows up thanks to these books. She usually reads them by herself but wanted to read this one together today. Really great series for all kids.
Read
August 2, 2023read this as a come down for song of achilles. Would recommend
Read
December 2, 2015Title: Lunch Walks Among Us
Author: Jim Benton
Genre: Science Fiction
Theme(s): Science, Monsters
Opening line/sentence: I like school. Especially Science.
Brief Book Summary: Franny K. Stein is not just your ordinary student- she is an amazing scientist! Although many of her fellow students may think that she's weird they all look to her for help when a Monstrous Fiend attacks her class.
Professional Recommendation/Review #1: Publishers Weekly
The Franny K. Stein, Mad Scientist series gets off to a silly start with this copiously and cartoonishly illustrated novel, which bears at least a passing visual resemblance to Dav Pilkey's Captain Underpants capers. The young heroine is clearly not an average child: she fills her room with bats, snakes and a flying piranha-plus test tubes, beakers and "a whole bunch of crackling electrical gizmos that [she] had made all by herself." Not surprisingly, the other kids at school keep their distance when they see Franny using a snake for a jump rope (never mind that her favorite doll, Chompolina, sports steel teeth that can bite off the heads of other dolls). Franny's sympathetic teacher (whom Benton drolly names "Miss Shelly") suggests Franny conduct an "experiment" to discover how to make friends with her classmates, whereupon the budding mad scientist concocts a potion that transforms her into a sweet-looking girl in a frilly dress and adopts new eating and playing habits to fit in with her peers. But when items the students have thrown into the trash turn out to be the formula for a "Giant Monstrous Fiend," Franny reverts to her mad-scientist ways to create a "Lunch-Meat Creature" that does in the evil monster. Black-and-white drawings (including a section where readers cut pages horizontally to turn them into a create-a-monster game) echo the narrative's hyperbolic humor. Ages 7-10. (Sept.) Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.
Professional Recommendation/Review #2: Kirkus Reviews
An anything-but-subtle tale about learning to get along with others, infused with bathroom humor and featuring a pint-sized Morticia Addams as main character. Whether it's her mad-scientist glare, her preference for gourmet lunches, or her love of bats, Franny has trouble making friends, until her teacher suggests that she approach it as another science experiment. After taking systematic notes on peer behavior, Franny boils up an effective sweetness-and-light potion in her home lab-but then has to take the antidote when a Giant Monstrous Fiend rises from the garbage can and climbs the school's flagpole with the teacher under one claw. Franny uses cold cuts from her classmates' sandwiches to create a Frankenstein-ish ally, and thus becomes a hero by Being Herself. Large cartoons take up more space than the text, and Benton adds a mix-'n'-match feature that requires cutting several pages into flaps that can be flipped back and forth. This isn't anything like a blatant grab for Captain Underpants fans, oh no. (Fiction. 7-9)
Response to Two Professional Reviews: Both reviews seem to think that the author was able to put a fun twist on a science story. This book incorporates science while also appealing to young children. The reviews seem to think that this book is humorous and enjoyable.
Evaluation of Literary Elements: The theme of the book is how Franny came to the rescue. I think that this was a great theme because it showed how Franny utilized her great interest in science to assist the rest of her class. This shows students that it's acceptable to be different. This also teaches kids how great science is and how it can be very useful and interesting.
Consideration of Instructional Application: Students can write about why they love science. What's so great about science? Students can discuss how they can utilize their science skills and abilities to help them in other subjects or just in real life. Have students discuss the importance of science and share their ideas.
Author: Jim Benton
Genre: Science Fiction
Theme(s): Science, Monsters
Opening line/sentence: I like school. Especially Science.
Brief Book Summary: Franny K. Stein is not just your ordinary student- she is an amazing scientist! Although many of her fellow students may think that she's weird they all look to her for help when a Monstrous Fiend attacks her class.
Professional Recommendation/Review #1: Publishers Weekly
The Franny K. Stein, Mad Scientist series gets off to a silly start with this copiously and cartoonishly illustrated novel, which bears at least a passing visual resemblance to Dav Pilkey's Captain Underpants capers. The young heroine is clearly not an average child: she fills her room with bats, snakes and a flying piranha-plus test tubes, beakers and "a whole bunch of crackling electrical gizmos that [she] had made all by herself." Not surprisingly, the other kids at school keep their distance when they see Franny using a snake for a jump rope (never mind that her favorite doll, Chompolina, sports steel teeth that can bite off the heads of other dolls). Franny's sympathetic teacher (whom Benton drolly names "Miss Shelly") suggests Franny conduct an "experiment" to discover how to make friends with her classmates, whereupon the budding mad scientist concocts a potion that transforms her into a sweet-looking girl in a frilly dress and adopts new eating and playing habits to fit in with her peers. But when items the students have thrown into the trash turn out to be the formula for a "Giant Monstrous Fiend," Franny reverts to her mad-scientist ways to create a "Lunch-Meat Creature" that does in the evil monster. Black-and-white drawings (including a section where readers cut pages horizontally to turn them into a create-a-monster game) echo the narrative's hyperbolic humor. Ages 7-10. (Sept.) Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.
Professional Recommendation/Review #2: Kirkus Reviews
An anything-but-subtle tale about learning to get along with others, infused with bathroom humor and featuring a pint-sized Morticia Addams as main character. Whether it's her mad-scientist glare, her preference for gourmet lunches, or her love of bats, Franny has trouble making friends, until her teacher suggests that she approach it as another science experiment. After taking systematic notes on peer behavior, Franny boils up an effective sweetness-and-light potion in her home lab-but then has to take the antidote when a Giant Monstrous Fiend rises from the garbage can and climbs the school's flagpole with the teacher under one claw. Franny uses cold cuts from her classmates' sandwiches to create a Frankenstein-ish ally, and thus becomes a hero by Being Herself. Large cartoons take up more space than the text, and Benton adds a mix-'n'-match feature that requires cutting several pages into flaps that can be flipped back and forth. This isn't anything like a blatant grab for Captain Underpants fans, oh no. (Fiction. 7-9)
Response to Two Professional Reviews: Both reviews seem to think that the author was able to put a fun twist on a science story. This book incorporates science while also appealing to young children. The reviews seem to think that this book is humorous and enjoyable.
Evaluation of Literary Elements: The theme of the book is how Franny came to the rescue. I think that this was a great theme because it showed how Franny utilized her great interest in science to assist the rest of her class. This shows students that it's acceptable to be different. This also teaches kids how great science is and how it can be very useful and interesting.
Consideration of Instructional Application: Students can write about why they love science. What's so great about science? Students can discuss how they can utilize their science skills and abilities to help them in other subjects or just in real life. Have students discuss the importance of science and share their ideas.
July 22, 2016
"Jim Benton is the creator of thousands of original characters appearing in books, magazines, television, online -- and has been hailed as 'the most visible cartoonist in America' by People Magazine"* -- none of which matters to you when you are seven. What does matter is finding a series that is funny, slightly naughty, and just challenging enough to keep you engaged. The Frannie K. Stein series delivers in spades.
My first grader is a Captain Underpants fan, and as she was nearing the end of that series I started to get worried. If you are a first grade girl who reads above grade level your literary choices often involve mermaids, fairies, mermaids who are fairies, fairies who are also mermaids, and glitter. For a child who threw a tantrum when she found out they do not make Star Wars™ underwear for girls, glitter mermaid fairy books do not have a strong appeal.
Searching on-line for books similar to Captain Underpants, I stumbled across parent reviews of the Frannie K. Stein series. On Christmas morning my daughter was thrilled to find a whole new series of books (and yes, my kids are excited to get books for Christmas). She read the first book before the day was over and has flown through them in the weeks since.
The Frannie series has a ATOS/LEXILE/AR level of about 4th grade, and is appropriate for young readers who are ready to read above grade level. Frannie fits with the S.T.E.M. goals of encouraging children (especially girls) to take an interest in science. As Frannie creates and solves problems in her lab, Benton's humor and fantastic illustrations create a relatable, strong female character who will leave young readers wanting more. Just look at her face-- can't you see the wonderful mischief she is plotting? Benton's illustrations really do carry the stories, and as a bonus they help reluctant older readers stay engaged with the sometimes challenging text.
Don't worry though-- Frannie isn't (usually) encouraging children to create mayhem. Her social awkwardness and inability to understand the "rules" everyone else seems follow will appeal to children (and adults) wondering the same thing. Why can't girls have Star Wars™ underwear? And why does it always have to be pink when they finally do make it?
If your child has the same underwear conundrum, then Frannie K. Stein will be a perfect fit for your young reader.
* Description from the Frannie K. Stein website
My first grader is a Captain Underpants fan, and as she was nearing the end of that series I started to get worried. If you are a first grade girl who reads above grade level your literary choices often involve mermaids, fairies, mermaids who are fairies, fairies who are also mermaids, and glitter. For a child who threw a tantrum when she found out they do not make Star Wars™ underwear for girls, glitter mermaid fairy books do not have a strong appeal.
Searching on-line for books similar to Captain Underpants, I stumbled across parent reviews of the Frannie K. Stein series. On Christmas morning my daughter was thrilled to find a whole new series of books (and yes, my kids are excited to get books for Christmas). She read the first book before the day was over and has flown through them in the weeks since.
The Frannie series has a ATOS/LEXILE/AR level of about 4th grade, and is appropriate for young readers who are ready to read above grade level. Frannie fits with the S.T.E.M. goals of encouraging children (especially girls) to take an interest in science. As Frannie creates and solves problems in her lab, Benton's humor and fantastic illustrations create a relatable, strong female character who will leave young readers wanting more. Just look at her face-- can't you see the wonderful mischief she is plotting? Benton's illustrations really do carry the stories, and as a bonus they help reluctant older readers stay engaged with the sometimes challenging text.
Don't worry though-- Frannie isn't (usually) encouraging children to create mayhem. Her social awkwardness and inability to understand the "rules" everyone else seems follow will appeal to children (and adults) wondering the same thing. Why can't girls have Star Wars™ underwear? And why does it always have to be pink when they finally do make it?
If your child has the same underwear conundrum, then Frannie K. Stein will be a perfect fit for your young reader.
* Description from the Frannie K. Stein website
August 29, 2014
"It's Mad Science Time"
This chapter book entertains in so many more ways than I expected that this review is going to sound a little gushy. But the Franny K. Stein books are just that good.
Franny is a devoted mad scientist, but she scares her classmates. She transforms herself into a girlie-girl in order to "fit in", but somehow that doesn't feel right to her. NO SPOILERS, but events unfold in a way that leads Franny, and her classmates, to appreciate Franny for who she really is.
The book is perfectly manageable for a new chapter book reader, but it is loaded with all sorts of subtle and clever jokes that are really pretty sophisticated. There are slippery little jokes, (Franny's supportive and understanding teacher is Ms. Shelly; any relation to the Mary Shelley who wrote "Frankenstein"?). There are nods to old creature features, (O.K., who put "unstable industrial waste" in the classroom trash can?). There is a lot of wordplay and loads of sharp, deadpan humor.
This is just a wonderful example of how you can write a book that is funny and entertaining for a seven year old and yet just as amusing and diverting for an adult who is reading along with that youngster. And there are many other bonuses. There is no lame or simple-minded fart/booger humor. (Actually a scene involving a kid who wets his pants during the monster crisis is honestly funny.) Franny is a dedicated mad scientist, but is a happy, well-adjusted, bright, thoughtful and friendly kid. She's not spoiled or bratty or precocious. The book is heavily illustrated, and the drawings are clever and funny, and support and enhance the story.
The entire tone and feel of this book is very engaging. It has a message, but the message about being yourself just fits seamlessly into the story. The writing has a conversational feel that is not twee or too-chatty or cutesy. Indeed, the deadpan matter-of-factness of the narrative both sells the story and helps with readability.
So, you get a likeable kid, a fun story, an upbeat message, some excitement and a lot of laughs. I can easily understand the appeal of this book as an early chapter reader.
Please note that I found this book while browsing my local library's Kindle ebook goodies. I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.
This chapter book entertains in so many more ways than I expected that this review is going to sound a little gushy. But the Franny K. Stein books are just that good.
Franny is a devoted mad scientist, but she scares her classmates. She transforms herself into a girlie-girl in order to "fit in", but somehow that doesn't feel right to her. NO SPOILERS, but events unfold in a way that leads Franny, and her classmates, to appreciate Franny for who she really is.
The book is perfectly manageable for a new chapter book reader, but it is loaded with all sorts of subtle and clever jokes that are really pretty sophisticated. There are slippery little jokes, (Franny's supportive and understanding teacher is Ms. Shelly; any relation to the Mary Shelley who wrote "Frankenstein"?). There are nods to old creature features, (O.K., who put "unstable industrial waste" in the classroom trash can?). There is a lot of wordplay and loads of sharp, deadpan humor.
This is just a wonderful example of how you can write a book that is funny and entertaining for a seven year old and yet just as amusing and diverting for an adult who is reading along with that youngster. And there are many other bonuses. There is no lame or simple-minded fart/booger humor. (Actually a scene involving a kid who wets his pants during the monster crisis is honestly funny.) Franny is a dedicated mad scientist, but is a happy, well-adjusted, bright, thoughtful and friendly kid. She's not spoiled or bratty or precocious. The book is heavily illustrated, and the drawings are clever and funny, and support and enhance the story.
The entire tone and feel of this book is very engaging. It has a message, but the message about being yourself just fits seamlessly into the story. The writing has a conversational feel that is not twee or too-chatty or cutesy. Indeed, the deadpan matter-of-factness of the narrative both sells the story and helps with readability.
So, you get a likeable kid, a fun story, an upbeat message, some excitement and a lot of laughs. I can easily understand the appeal of this book as an early chapter reader.
Please note that I found this book while browsing my local library's Kindle ebook goodies. I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.
Read
December 18, 2013 This book was actually brought to my attention by one of the students in my 5th grade observation class. I had a conference with her and she told me the main theme was to “always be yourself!” Upon reading the book, I found that in this text, this is especially true.
This book is a graphic novel as there are pictures on every page and, to be honest, the plot reads a lot more like a comic book plot line rather than a novel.
In this book, Franny K. Stein is a young girl who is a “mad scientist.” While others in her class don’t mind her, they do find her to be weird, as she creates dolls that shoot out gunk when hugged or bite the heads off of other dolls. To remedy this, Franny creates a concoction which makes her look like a “normal” girl. She plays with the other girls and uses “normal” dolls, but on the inside feels very hollow and bored.
However, at one point in the book, a monster is created from “old lunch meats and industrial waste,” hence the title Lunch Walks Among Us.
This gets Franny so worked up, she drinks an “antidote” and goes back to being herself. She creates another monster from new lunch meats that destroys the “old lunch meats” monster; however, to achieve this, her monster destroys the wall of her classroom and the flagpole. This crushes Franny, as the class looks at her in shock when the “old lunch meat” monster is destroyed.
Upon returning the next day, however, she finds that her class is extremely proud of her and her “weirdness.” Franny finds that, in the end, it is best to just be her and not try to be herself.
This would be an excellent book for a chemistry unit, for although it is more of a science fiction graphic novel, it shows Franny working with all kinds of different chemicals throughout the book.
As I chose this for my independence text set, I find that it would really support this theme quite well; students can learn that it is okay to be themselves, even if other people think they're "weird" or "different."
This book is a graphic novel as there are pictures on every page and, to be honest, the plot reads a lot more like a comic book plot line rather than a novel.
In this book, Franny K. Stein is a young girl who is a “mad scientist.” While others in her class don’t mind her, they do find her to be weird, as she creates dolls that shoot out gunk when hugged or bite the heads off of other dolls. To remedy this, Franny creates a concoction which makes her look like a “normal” girl. She plays with the other girls and uses “normal” dolls, but on the inside feels very hollow and bored.
However, at one point in the book, a monster is created from “old lunch meats and industrial waste,” hence the title Lunch Walks Among Us.
This gets Franny so worked up, she drinks an “antidote” and goes back to being herself. She creates another monster from new lunch meats that destroys the “old lunch meats” monster; however, to achieve this, her monster destroys the wall of her classroom and the flagpole. This crushes Franny, as the class looks at her in shock when the “old lunch meat” monster is destroyed.
Upon returning the next day, however, she finds that her class is extremely proud of her and her “weirdness.” Franny finds that, in the end, it is best to just be her and not try to be herself.
This would be an excellent book for a chemistry unit, for although it is more of a science fiction graphic novel, it shows Franny working with all kinds of different chemicals throughout the book.
As I chose this for my independence text set, I find that it would really support this theme quite well; students can learn that it is okay to be themselves, even if other people think they're "weird" or "different."
Displaying 1 - 30 of 379 reviews